Crime & Punishment of Thursday, 13 April 2023

Source: GNA

Court grants GH¢100,000 bail to a businessman for stealing and forgery

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An Accra Circuit Court has granted a GH¢100,00.00 bail with two sureties to a 40-year-old businessperson who allegedly forged documents to sell a vehicle he did not own.

Yanick Dela-Dem, the accused, was said to have forged the document covering a Mercedes Benz GL utility vehicle, sold it, and transferred ownership to the buyer.

The court presided over by Evelyn Asamoah, adjourned the case to May 16, 2023.

Prosecuting Police Chief Inspector Benson Benneh told the Court that, the complainant, William Hwanompe is a businessperson who resided at Manjor.

Hwanompe wanted to sell his Mercedes Benz GL vehicle with registration number GE 1118-18 at the price of GH¢100,000.00.

He said Dela-Dem went to Hwanompe and collected the vehicle under the pretext of showing it to a potential buyer and did not return the car.

Yanick subsequently advertised the vehicle on “Jiji.com,” an online marketing platform.

One Joseph Kwame Okyere, a witness, saw the said advertisement and expressed interest in buying the vehicle.

Police Chief Inspector Benneh said Okyere later met Dela-Dem, inspected, and purchased the vehicle at the cost of GH¢65,000.00.

He told the court that Dela-Dem failed to inform Hwanompe about the sale of the vehicle but fraudulently managed to retrieve the documents of the vehicle from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority and transferred ownership to Okyere.

The prosecution said Dela-Dem went into hiding after selling the vehicle.

The case was reported to the Police on January 25, 2022, leading to the arrest of the buyer on December 22, 2022, and the retrieval of the vehicle for investigation.

The Prosecution said, on March 31, 2023, Dela-Dem was arrested.

He admitted to the offence in his cautioned statement and refunded GH¢ 30,000.00.

Dela-Dem was charged with the offence on March 02, 2023, and put before the court.